Round-up: EFL Matchday

Following the international break, it was back to a full EFL schedule which saw big wins, hat-tricks and drama aplenty. Here's the review...

Wolverhampton Wanderers moved back to the top of the Sky Bet Championship table, thanks to a 2-0 away win at Reading, in which Ivan Cavaleiro and Matt Doherty both found the net.

That came after Sheffield United had kept the pressure up the night before, defeating Burton Albion 3-1 in one of two Friday evening matches, the other finishing goalless between Preston North End and Bolton Wanderers.

Cardiff City remain firmly in the mix after comfortably seeing off Brentford at the Cardiff City Stadium, maintaining their unbeaten home record and ending the Bees' streak of nine games without loss.

There was nothing to choose between Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol City at Hillsborough where they played out a 0-0 draw, and there were four other drawn matches in the division on Saturday.

It was 1-1 in the two games at Craven Cottage and Carrow Road, and 2-2 in fixtures at Hull City and Sunderland, with the latter now without a win at the Stadium of Light in 20 games - a new English record.

Just one goal, from Che Adams, was all it took for Birmingham City to get the better of Nottingham Forest at St Andrew’s, and move out of the bottom three.

In Sunday's game, Leeds United got the better of Garry Monk's Middlesbrough, with Pablo Hernandez and Ezgjan Alioski on target in a 2-1 triumph at Elland Road.

Shrewsbury Town's Stefan Payne struck a 93rd-minute winner to defeat Rotherham United 2-1 at the New York Stadium, despite having Abu Ogogo sent off at the beginning of the second half.

The Shrews are now four points clear at the top of League One, and that’s because Wigan Athletic lost out at home to Bradford City, Tyrell Robinson scoring late on to earn the Bantams a 2-1 win.

Graham Alexander’s Scunthorpe United are now fourth, with Duane Holmes hitting a second-half brace in the Iron’s impressive 3-0 away triumph at Northampton Town.

They climbed into fourth above Charlton Athletic, who were denied by a late Kieran Agard strike at the Valley, which saw Milton Keynes Dons pick up a 2-2 draw.

Blackburn Rovers are into the play-off places after they recorded a routine 3-0 away victory over Bury, and Oxford United remain two points behind the men from Ewood Park, following a resounding 4-0 win at Plymouth Argyle.

Portsmouth are level on points with the U’s following a 1-0 home success against Southend United — Brett Pitman got the only goal of the game at Fratton Park.

Wins also came the way of Blackpool, AFC Wimbledon and Gillingham, who all won on the road in their respective matches, while at Boundary Park, Oldham Athletic saw off local foes Rochdale 3-1.

At Highbury Stadium, it was a day for the defences, as Fleetwood Town and Doncaster Rovers both kept clean sheets in a tight encounter.

A Jorge Grant brace helped Notts County defeat Cheltenham Town 3-1 and remain top of the pile in Sky Bet League Two.

Their current closest challengers are now Luton Town, who ran riot by beating Cambridge United 7-0 at Kenilworth Road. It’s a win that lifts the Hatters into second place, following Accrington Stanley’s draw against Newport County and Exeter City’s loss at Chesterfield.

Mansfield Town edged out Stevenage to move up to eighth in the table, with Kane Hemmings getting the only goal of the game at Field Mill.

Carlisle United were narrow winners at Grimsby Town, and they secured the points through a Clint Hill header in the 70th minute.

A five-goal thriller was settled in injury-time at the New Lawn, as Alex Iacovitti completed a late Forest Green Rovers turnaround against Crewe Alexandra.

Tom Pope’s penalty was enough for Port Vale to see off Barnet in Mark McGhee’s first match in charge of the Bees, while at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, Colchester United and Morecambe played out a 0-0 draw.